Gabby Nolans Rude Awakening

sorry to all of you who opened to find a one liner .
maybe I should keep them all to one line !!
think of a story I write a tribute about to another author here ..
make sense ??

Submitted:Feb 5, 2010
Reads: 77
Comments: 1
Likes: 2

Gabby shook his coat and handed it to the door boy , and they
went up the winding staircase to their bedroom . She sat on the
bed and sighed taking off her boots.
- It always takes it out of me she said
- your two aunts and this pilgrimage - it reminds me of stepping
into a museum ,or something . It drains me .
He took the rebuke with a wounded affront
- Time for them to give this up this tired old charade ..Oh god
I'm tired out..

He went to the window and looked down on the streets.. The snow
was falling thickly .He was about to draw the shutters closed
when she stopped him.
- No ! Please ! don't do that . It always makes me feel I'm in a
coffin somehow.

He drew the velvet curtains together and linked the brocaded
robes which held them together with thick brass clasps.

- Still - he brightened - It makes them happy. And they have the
best claret in the city.

- Why goose .. Its so .. So old fashioned ..ugh .. And the meat
so dark . I have to force my self to eat it.

She was sitting in front of the dressing mirror in her
underclothes , brushing her hair .
My god she looked magnificent and he felt a sudden urge to hold
her.
He went to the bedside , and fell straight on his face , tripping
over her limpid boot,
- Christ. He got up. His nose beginning to trickle with
blood.
- Oh dear ..
-sst nothing .. Nothing ..
- let me get you a cold towel ..
''Ss aright !!
-I'll send down for ice - she suggested
- no I'll just pinch it -he said going to the ensuite
- usually does the trick.. it's the dam blood pressure ..be ok in
a minute .

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and tilted her head
this way then that. She held the hand mirror sideways to see her
profile . Which way would Ferdy have seen her from.. He was
sitting on her left .. She held the mirror sideways and arced her
chin slowly clockwise then counter clockwise.
She always knew he was singing that song for her . She began to
hum it now
- I only have eyes for you .... I only have eyes …

-That's got it ..have to get Malone to cut me down on those dam
tablets , he said emerging from the ensuite .His amorous mood
returned instantly .
She looked more radiant than before , and a tender flush came
over him.
- you know you're the most beautiful woman in the city he
city
He started to caress her back with his index finger.
- let me do that - he took the hair brush and she suppressed a
sigh as he began to brush her hair .
- I like doing this .. - he said slowly kissing her ear - do you
like me doing it too .
His pulse was racing . The wine and the way she looked when
Freddy sang had made his heart swell in his chest. He was a lucky
man to get her.

He looked at his own reflection ; a small rotund man , with
chubby hands , and a bald head. What did he do to deserve her. He
looked through hooded lid at her reflection and continued to
brush her hair .
- Hmm ..like it ..

She pressed against him and got up smiling.
- I think I'll have a brandy before I turn in ..it'll help me
sleep .. I can never sleep after that dinner.
The aside wounded him again but he brushed it aside . She too
wanted to make this moment last , he told himself and his pulse
quickened anew .
- certainly certainly ! Wold you prefer champers .? I could have
some in an instant ,- That manager fellows me a few tricks I can
tell you . All I have to do is snap my fingers , He knows which
his bread is buttered I tell you - he said his hopes soaring
again.
- oh no . brandy will do me fine
He sat across from her again looking at her lasciviously .
- did you enjoy the speech , he took out the carefully speech
from his jacket pocket. and unfolded it .
- oh yes it was wonderful as usual. There was a hint of ennui in
her voice but he ignored it .
- I think I got everything in there .
-oh I think so too. You did very well. - .

Very well !!- he thought . There he was one of the main haulage
companies in the country . No third level education and he could
mix it with the best of them. All university graduates and he
could hold it with the best of them. And the speech was always
the highlight on the evening . He liked to think tonight's was
one of his best. He started to read a passage , and chuckled to
himself expecting her to ask him to read the bit that had caught
his amusement . She was sitting near the window and through a
crease in the drapes she could see the snow falling lighter
now
.
- Caught Ferdy there with that little jibe about university
professor and the research students - hah ha !! - Not that I
think there was anything in it at all you know..- he said
jovially
- why did you feel the need to say it .? She was looking at the
floor , caressing the brandy glass listlessly. He'd noticed the
change in her
- Oh ! Just the humour . I like to bring a little humour into
these little speeches , and Ferdy can take a thing like that ..
They all laughed . .. Ferdy laughed heartily .. I saw him. Oh
they all enjoyed the banter you know. Its always a surprise whose
going to be my nemesis . that's the fun of it . don't you think
so ?
There was the slightest hint of exasperation in his voice . It
was the way she avoided his eyes . She shrugged and sat
listlessly there swirling the glass.
She was thinking of Ferdy's look as she went to the window ..He
had sung

My love must be a kind of blind love
I can't see anyone but you
And dear, I wonder if you find love
An optical illusion, too?

It was the slow wistful way he sang it .t
The yearning in those forlorn eyes . The haunting way he sang it.
Only a heart who'd known the heartache of true love could sing it
like that. And his eyes seemed to caress her as he sang the
beautiful words .

Gabby was saying something about the other parts of the speech
.she regarded him for a moment blandly and said simply;
- Yes ,- she said - I think they all felt that ! What a hideous
piece of drivel ; completely above his capacity. He would hoard
words for weeks , look up quotations and epithets from the great
speakers . He would write it over endlessly ,even getting his
manager to proof read it in front of him .God he was such a
pathetic figure . Other that his money .people would never bother
with him. But he only knew money and how to make it . She'd
married him on an impulse .Partly on a rebound from a love she'd
had for a young poet she'd known and loved in Galway. He was
killed in a car crash . He'd written her an ode on her 21st
birthday . And Ferdy's song reminded of him now .
Ferdy too was dying , she thought . Slowly dieing maybe from a
denial of her love.. Perhaps her love .. and it was slowly
killing her too.
There was a verse about and maybe cloudy or bright , but his
distraction was such that he only had eyes .. And it ended with
;

I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue
You are here, so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you

Ferdy would die of a broken heart. Of a love unrequited . She
looked down on the street as the snow had turned to a watery
sleet .
Now Gabby was saying that the Irish were the greatest talkers
since the Greeks Oh Good what a pompous pathetic little figure he
made. He was crossing the room to her . Those hooded eyes ,
rapacious and vulgar. It made her skin crawl. She looked at her
crumpled boot half hoping he'd trip over it again. She turned her
back to him as he approached her.
He put his arm around her and pressed his nose into her hair
.
Hmm!!-
- Its stopped snowing at last !! - he aid with a start. - Well
that's a bit of good news !!-. His ardour had dissipated as he
went to the phone and had them dial a number.
He was tapping the dressing table impatiently ,as he waited for
the reply.

Now his voice was animated and rushed as he roared orders down
the phone . Something about getting the trucks back on the road
now that the snow was over .
- And remember Foley , every minute those trucks aren't rolling
cost this man money. I'd like you to remember that .See to it .Do
it. !!
He put down the phone .
She was still looking out on the glistening street and the last
refrain of Ferdy's song lingered painfully on her ears . And
there was a dreadful mourning in her beating heart.

Or on a crowded avenue
You are here, so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you

-That was Foley. Dam fellow takes me for a softie. Told him to
get those truck rolling first thing in the morning. Lazy as sin
that man . Bone idle lazy Don't know why I hired him. Or why I
keep him on.

He saw that she was distracted looking down at the snow pitted
with holes as the rain melted it .He went to reach out to her
just as the door bell rang.
- What .. who on earth..??
She shrugged .
He went to the door . She could hear him .
- Who . Good Lord ..well yes I see ..yes ..I see .. well tell ..
What ?..change the which .. Did he .. I see.. Well go
ahead..
- Dear , there's some one looking for me down stairs .. I
shouldn't think this will take long ..strange ..And the manager
's sent this chap up with a complimentary little something-
turning to the door boy he said brusquely
- go ahead leave it there … .
The door boy came in wheeling his trolley on which was a chilled
bottle of champagne wrapped in starched linen. The boy was
looking at her surreptitiously with raised eyebrows. She regarded
him keenly as he made some adjustments to his trolley , then took
out a folded piece of paper he looked at her and with his eyes he
directed his eye to the note which he placed on the tray and
folded a starched napkin over it. She acknowledged his
gesture.
- Leave it ! - he said curtly to the boy.
- Here , he said taking a note from his wallet .. There's a good
fellow .. Tell my visitor him I'll be down in just a moment
.
- well . Would you believe that . Its Ferdy. He's down stairs .
He wants to see me .
When he went out ,and she took up the note. She held it to her
heart , which was racing in her breast ..
Ferdy .. Ferdy .. She opened the note

Forgive me this obfuscation. I couldn't get you out of my mind .
I have been thinking about or months now ,looking forward to
tonight and just seeing yoou was just enough. Can it be that feel
the same way about me ? This tares me apart .
I cant wait another year to see you again. Could you give me some
signal of how you feel . If I have misconstrued the message I see
in your eyes ,please forgive me and forget about me , and I beg
you to give me a fool's pardon… but if there is some hope that
you feel please just ring me or drop me a line ..
I lpve you either way . Bit I rpomin=se never to bother you again
if I do not hear from you soon
Maybe now sleep will come aat last . Forgive me. May I call you
darling . Good night my one and only darling .
I only have eyes for you.
With great anticipation.
Ferdy

She read it again , and again. And once more . And each time she
read it she put a different inflection on a different word. It
didn't matter whether it was intended or not.
Her heart raced and she gave a sudden shiver when Gabby came back
in.
- It was Ferdy.. The strangest conversation .. I thought he was
tight at first. He said he was concerned about the speech . The
reference to the research student and all of that . I asked him
if he was upset. No. Was he offended . No not really. Well , said
I had no intention of causing any harm. No No he said he just
felt that maybe I had impugned the relationship between a
professor and his student generally - in of in an obtuse way-
Freddy said . It was the weirdest thing. I mean I had thought of
Ferdy of course and yet I took care to phrase it in such a way as
to avoid any disparagement .. But Ferdy said there was none of
tha at all. He really wasn't that upset. He rather thought I
might felt awkward because he left before us , and hadn't said
goodnight . As no impression of ill will had been expressed ,
none had been taken.. And we more or less shook hands on it at
that ..

She could hear Ferdy's voice in his words. His gentle eloquence
had that sweetness that was essentially Ferdy. Gabby would never
have choosen these words himself.

-Well whatever it was about its all cleared .. Smoothed over.
Ferdys a decent sort. A bit of an innocent Ferdy , but academics
are .. Somehow distant. But I'm glad we had that chat man to man
. I felt I put him at ease .-
She hadn't spoken or even registered any perceptible emotion at
all .

-You didn't think I caused him any undue distress did you .. It
was just a bit of fun ..

She stood up and faced him , looking down .

- Oh shut up !!- she expostulated with vitriol .- She could take
no more.
The floodgates of her emotions burst through .She could contain
herself no longer. The years of endurance had taken their toll
.

- You're a hideous little pretender. You have wealth any you
think you can but your way into these circles with your vulgar
little pretentious extravagances . You mortify me sometimes. The
little tips . The obscene way you treat your staff . You are just
a trumped up nobody . I cringed at the thought of having to make
love to you tonight . Love !! Love I thought !! - When did I ever
love you - Why did I ever marry you . Oh God dear God !! I keep
asking myself .. You revolt me .!!.
He came to her all aquiver open-mouthed.
-don't touch me . I cant bear your hands on me . It makes me sick
. I try to hide it but I no longer can.
He sat down near the window and his gaze sought some explanation
from the falling rain but none would come .Only the rain falling
remorselessly onto the melting snow.
His trucks would be pulling out of the warehouses and heading
west. Through the dreary sleepy towns , across the sodden bogs
and swollen rivers.
And the rain fell ; and the rivers flowed seaward ; He sat there
for some time as the tears welled up in his limpid eyes pitying ,
and rolled abundantly down his flushed cheeks .

At last the floodgates of her emotions burst through .She could
contain herself no longer. The years of endurance had taken their
toll .